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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27714266">In a Bind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup/pseuds/Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup'>Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crop Top Hyrule - Freeform, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Mild Swearing, Trans Hyrule (Linked Universe), always practice proper binding techniques!, it's an accident but still, unsafe binding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:42:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27714266</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup/pseuds/Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hyrule had told stories of running and fighting enemies for days on end during his adventures.</p>
<p>So why was he so winded?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hyrule &amp; Legend (Linked Universe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>189</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In a Bind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Legend ran his blade through the final bokoblin, he glanced around the battlefield to check on his fellow heroes. Everyone seemed fine, but Hyrule was panting nearly as hard as Sky.</p>
<p>Sky’s poor stamina was famous within the group, but Hyrule... Hyrule had told stories of running and fighting enemies for days on end during his adventures. He had the endurance needed to survive while being hunted.</p>
<p>So why was he so winded?</p>
<p>“You alright there, Traveler?” Legend asked, walking over to where Hyrule was checking a scratch on Wind’s arm.</p>
<p>“Huh... oh totally. I didn’t even get hit.”</p>
<p>“You look like you’re about to pass out.”</p>
<p>“Nope. I just sprinted over here to help Wind right at the end. I’ll be fine in a couple minutes.”</p>
<p>“If you say so...”</p>
<p>“Sure thing!” Hyrule turned back to Wind. “Now, Sailor, I’m almost done with-” And then he collapsed.</p>
<p>“Oh shit,” Wind whispered. “I thought you were just being an overprotective softie.”</p>
<p>“I am not soft,” Legend growled, kneeling down to check over Hyrule. “Go get Warriors.”</p>
<p>Legend was decidedly not the team medic, but that didn’t mean he was clueless. He had just finished checking Hyrule’s heartbeat, when Warriors showed up.</p>
<p>“What’s up?”</p>
<p>“More like ‘what’s down?’ He was talking and then just...”</p>
<p>“He passed out without any warning? That’s not good.”</p>
<p>“He was breathing heavy. It’s what we were talking about, actually. He said it was nothing, but he was acting like he’d just fought a boss.”</p>
<p>“Shit. Help me get his tunics off. I’m going to check his chest.”</p>
<p>Just as they had gotten his bottom tunic over his head, Hyrule began to stir. Violently.</p>
<p>“Get off me!” He yelled while reaching for his sword.</p>
<p>“Woah, Hyrule. We’re just trying to check why you passed out. You’re safe. You don’t need the sword,” Warriors said while holding up his hands in a placating manner.</p>
<p>But Hyrule didn’t listen. He kept thrashing and hissing and swearing like Legend and Warriors were ready to execute him.</p>
<p>“Hyrule, calm down!” Warriors said. “Hyrule! Traveler! Link! Snap out of it. You’re safe.”</p>
<p>Finally, Hyrule seemed to realize that he was not surrounded by blood thirsty monsters and calmed down.</p>
<p>“Hey,” He wheezed, sinking back onto the ground. “Can I have my shirts back?”</p>
<p>“Not until we finish checking you,” Legend said. “Besides, we’ve all seen you in just your crop top armor thing. You’re fine.”</p>
<p>“Actually,” Warriors said, “we need you to take off the crop top. I need to check your breathing, but I can’t do that with leather armor in the way.”</p>
<p>Hyrule shifted into a sitting position, crossing his arms in front of his chest and hunching his shoulders.</p>
<p>“You okay there Rule?” Legend asked, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Well... the thing is... how do I say this...” Hyrule glanced between them as he continued to squirm.</p>
<p>“If you really feel that uncomfortable about it, I’ll take my shirt off too. We can be cold together,” Warriors said with a grin.</p>
<p>“Ditto,” Legend added.</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s not it. And Legend, you wouldn’t have anything but shorts on if you did that. It’s just that I don’t take this off except to bathe. It’s sort of covering something important.”</p>
<p>“You’re crop top is hiding things from us?” Legend asked, unimpressed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it is.” Hyrule scratched the back of his head. “It comes loose though. I can do that so you can still check my breathing. You’re using that tube listener, right?”</p>
<p>Warriors sighed. “Sure, I can stick the stethoscope under the crop top.”</p>
<p>Hyrule beamed. “Thanks! Give me a minute to undo the fastens.”</p>
<p>After some fidgeting with the straps, Warriors was finally able to check Hyrule’s breathing.</p>
<p>“Well, you sound fine, but I’m still worried that something is wrong.”</p>
<p>Hyrule looked down at his crop top. “I think I tightened the chest strap too much this morning by accident.”</p>
<p>“Constricted breathing problem?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I usually tighten it to here,” he said, pointing to a worn spot in the leather. “But it was here when I just undid it.” He pointed closer to the base of the strap at a less worn spot.</p>
<p>“The tighter one looks nicer. It fits a bit better, but it’s terrible for fighting. I must have been too tired from taking first watch last night to notice.”</p>
<p>“Sounds good. I’m going to check on everyone else.”</p>
<p>Hyrule started to stand up. “Oh! I can-” </p>
<p>“Nope, you just fainted. You get to sit with momma Legend and rest.”</p>
<p>“Momma Legend?” Legend squawked.</p>
<p>“See ya!” And with that, Warriors jogged over to where Time and Sky were.</p>
<p>Legend settled onto the ground and started pulling out strands of grass while he waited for Hyrule to finish putting his tunics back on.</p>
<p>“So…” Legend said, sprinkling the grass on Hyrule’s head, “are we going to talk or are we going to sit in awkward silence?”</p>
<p>“I was thinking silence,” Hyrule muttered.</p>
<p>“And I was thinking that I don’t want my friend to pass out unnecessarily again.”</p>
<p>“I told you, I had it fastened at the wrong spot. I’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>“Traveler, while I would normally be completely in favor of leaving you alone, I also doubt that having a chest plate on too tight for a ten minute fight is enough to make you pass out mid sentence,” Legend said while leveling a look at Hyrule. “So I’m asking for the truth. Not the nitty gritty. Just, why do you even have armor that can constrict your breathing?”</p>
<p>“How is that not the nitty gritty?” Hyrule shot back.</p>
<p>“Well, I thought the answer would be something like the shirt is made to grow with you. Or it wasn’t originally yours so it doesn’t fit that well.”</p>
<p>“No. It’s tailored specifically for me,” Hyrule said, looking over at the other heroes. “It was a gift from Zelda.”</p>
<p>“Nicknames, Rule. You’ve got two.”</p>
<p>“Oh right. Zelda XVII. Dawn. She got me, not this one, but one like it pretty soon after I rescued her.”</p>
<p>“This still doesn’t answer my question of why it fits you so tight you pass out.”</p>
<p>“Yeah…” Hyrule drew his knees up to his chest.</p>
<p>“Well?”</p>
<p>Hyrule turned his gaze down to his feet and asked just about the last question Legend was expecting. “You’ve worn dresses before, right?”</p>
<p>Legend nodded, figuring he might as well go with it. “Yeah. I’ve got one packed in my bag right now.”</p>
<p>“And- and do people ever treat you different when you wear a dress?”</p>
<p>“It increased heart drops in the Drablands. My teammates were pretty happy about that.”</p>
<p>“No! I mean, <em> you</em>. Do people ever treat you different, as a person?”</p>
<p>“I guess... What does this have to do with your crop top?”</p>
<p>Hyrule furrowed his brow. Like he was concentrating on not looking over to Legend. “I’ll never understand why you don’t wear pants. They’re amazing. Your legs don’t get cold or scratched up and they’re so easy to run in.”</p>
<p>Legend slumped forward dejectedly. “You’ve completely lost me, Rule.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t get my first pair of pants until I was ten,” Hyrule whispered. “Even with all the traveling and running, no one gave me pants. I had to re-sew my skirt into shorts so that the seamstress in Rauru Town would think I was a boy.” He snorts. “I’m so lucky she didn’t ask for my name.”</p>
<p>Legend blinked and lifted his head back up. What Hyrule was saying was starting to come together in its own patchwork way.</p>
<p>“Why was that lucky?” Legend asked, glancing to Hyrule.</p>
<p>“Because I hadn’t thought of one. I didn’t hear the name Link for another year. There had been some sort of story night with a traveler group I had been in. Someone there told the story of Link, the boy who crossed worlds to defeat Ganon. I had figured it was just some made up folk tale, a candle of hope against an endless night. But then I killed Ganon a year later, and now I’ve met you.”</p>
<p>Legend burst into laughter. “You mean you accidentally named yourself after me? Was your old name that bad?”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t that bad... It was actually kind of pretty. Didn’t mean I liked that it was what people called me.”</p>
<p>“So, um,” Legend shifted his legs so he was sitting cross cross and turned towards Hyrule, fidgeting with his rings. “Was that your way of telling me your trans?”</p>
<p>“Trans?”</p>
<p>Legend panicked. “Shit I just assumed with the story about the skirt and the name and-”</p>
<p>“Legend stop. I just don’t know what the word means.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Trans. Transgender. Like, you’re a different gender than the one people thought you were when you were born.”</p>
<p>Hyrule stared at him. “There’s a word for it?”</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>Hyrule looked down at his hands. “There’s a word for it.”</p>
<p>“Have you- have you never talked to someone about this before?” Legend asked.</p>
<p>“I already told you, the binder is from Zelda,” Hyrule said, not looking up.</p>
<p>Oh... Legend didn’t really know what to say to that. What do you tell someone after learning that the words to describe his experiences had been lost in the centuries between your lives?</p>
<p>“Zelda- Dawn would just say I was Link, and that’s all I needed to worry about.” Hyrule blushed. “Aurora agreed after we told her. But, I never thought to ask. Maybe her original time had more similar language to yours.”</p>
<p>“You can ask her when we get to your time period?” Legend suggested.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Hyrule sighed. He seemed more relaxed now. “So how do you know about this? You aren’t…”</p>
<p>“No. I’m not trans. I just have a few friends who are from my journeys.”</p>
<p>“Can I ask who?”</p>
<p>“I don’t really think that’s my thing to share, but if you want, I can write to the ones that live in Hyrule. Tell them what you told me. That way if we ever end up near them, they could tell you themselves. Some sort of cross temporal support system.”</p>
<p>“I would like that a lot,” Hyrule said.</p>
<p>“Then I will. But I’m not done with this conversation. You called your crop top a binder?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. That’s what Aurora calls it. It keeps my chest flat-looking.”</p>
<p>“And you said you <em> never </em> take it off?”</p>
<p>Hyrule looks confused. “If I took it off, then I’d be shirtless. Neither of us want to see that.”</p>
<p>Legend smacked his arm. “No wonder you fainted! I’m surprised you haven’t done anything worse.”</p>
<p>Hyrule squints at him for a second and then his face lights up in understanding. “I already told you! It’s custom made for me. I don’t always wear it super tight. It can be adjusted so it fits like a loose shirt.”</p>
<p>“Promise? I care about you.”</p>
<p>“I promise, Legend. Right now It’s more like a bodice with how tight it is.”</p>
<p>Legend hummed. “Yeah. I’ve worn outfits like that. You’ll be fine. But I saw the strap on your chest. The tighter one is getting plenty of use too. So, please don’t wear it like that while we’re walking and fighting for Hylia knows how long.”</p>
<p>“You’ve got nothing to worry about. I promise. Once this adventure is over, I probably won’t even need it anymore.”</p>
<p>Legend shook his head. “You tried to decapitate Warriors for touching it, and you’re telling me you’re just going to stop wearing it.”</p>
<p>“There’s a mage in Calatia that specializes in medical magic. I was actually in the middle of travelling to see him when I met all of you.” </p>
<p>“So you won’t wear it because you won’t need it?”</p>
<p>Hyrule smiled. “That’s the plan! I’ve only talked to him through letters so he isn’t completely sure how much he can do, but he did say removal is generally a pretty easy spell.”</p>
<p>Legend smirked, “I thought you couldn’t read.”</p>
<p>“Excuse me, Legend! I <em> can </em> read. You’re thinking of writing. Two very different things,” Hyrule huffed.</p>
<p>“That still doesn’t answer my question of how you wrote a letter.”</p>
<p>“Aurora wrote it for me. She has very nice handwriting,” Hyrule said.</p>
<p>“Good for her.” Legend slowly stood up before turning and offering a hand to Hyrule. “You okay to stand up? I think ‘Momma Legend’ is ready for some revenge.”</p>
<p>Hyrule clasped his hand in Legend’s. “Absolutely. Let’s put bugs in the Captain's bedroll.”</p>
<p>“I like the way you think, Traveler.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!<br/>And shout out to Seeking7 for telling me what towns little Hyrule would have been able to get to!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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